Haworthia plant named ‘African Albino’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Haworthia  plant named ‘African Albino’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading foliage with upright flower scapes; dark green-colored leaves with white-colored spots on the upper surface and broad white-colored bands on the lower surface of the leaves; and white and yellow green-colored flowers that are positioned above the foliar plane on moderately strong scapes.

Botanical designation: Haworthia fasciata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘AFRICAN ALBINO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHaworthia plant, botanically known as Haworthia fasciata and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘African Albino’.

The new Haworthia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofthe Haworthia fasciata ‘Big Band’, not patented. The new Haworthia plantwas discovered and selected by the Inventor from within a population ofplants of ‘Big Band’ in a controlled greenhouse environment inNieuwveen, The Netherlands in July, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Haworthia plant by cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands sinceJuly, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Haworthiaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Haworthia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘African Albino’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘African Albino’ as a new and distinctHaworthia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading foliage with upright flower        scapes.    -   2. Dark green-colored leaves with white-colored spots on the        upper surface and broad white-colored bands on the lower surface        of the leaves.    -   3. White and yellow green-colored flowers that are positioned        above the foliar plane on moderately strong scapes.

Plants of the new Haworthia differ primarily from plants of the parent,‘Big Band’, primarily in leaf color as the lower surfaces of leaves ofplants of the new Haworthia have broader white-colored bands than thelower surfaces of leaves of plants of ‘Big Band’. In addition, plants ofthe new Haworthia are smaller than plants of ‘Big Band’.

Plants of the new Haworthia can also be compared to plants of‘Concolor’, not patented. Plants of the new Haworthia and ‘Concolor’differ primarily in leaf color as the lower surfaces of leaves of plantsof the new Haworthia have broad white-colored bands whereas the lowersurfaces of leaves of plants of ‘Concolor’ are spotted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Haworthia plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Haworthia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘African Albino’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical plantof ‘African Albino’ showing the lower surfaces of the leaves.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering stem of ‘African Albino’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the late summer and early autumnin 8-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Nieuwveen, TheNetherlands and under commercial practices. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 15° C. and night temperatures averaged12° C. Plants were eight months old when the photographs and descriptionwere taken. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Haworthia fasciata ‘African Albino’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Haworthia    fasciata ‘Big Band’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 35 days at 22° C. to            23° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 50 days at 12° C. to            15° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 25 weeks            at 22° C. to 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 weeks            at 12° C. to 15° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; white to creamy white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Sparse.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous flowering perennial            plant; basal rosette plant form with upright to outwardly            spreading foliage and upright flower scapes; dark            green-colored leaves with white-colored spots on the upper            surface and broad white-colored bands on the lower surface            of the leaves; white and yellow green-colored flowers that            are positioned above the foliar plane on moderately strong            scapes; low vigor.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 9.8            cm.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About            29.7 cm.        -   Plant width (leaves only).—About 11.2 cm.        -   Plant width (with inflorescence).—About 20.4 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement and quantity.—Leaves arranged in a basal            rosette, simple, generally symmetrical and long-persisting;            leaves sessile.        -   Leaf length.—About 7.2 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 1.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Subulate.        -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.        -   Base.—Broadly cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous; succulent;            strongly verrucose, rough.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A to            137B; towards the base, close to 138B; spots and margins,            close to NN155D. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to            137A; towards the base, close to between 138A and 137B;            broad bands and margins, close to NN155D. Fully expanded            leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; towards the base,            close to 189A; spots and margins, close to NN155D; venation,            similar to leaf surface color. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Slightly darker than between N137A and 147A; broad            bands and margins, close to NN155D; venation, similar to            leaf surface color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single campanulate flowers            with fused perianth arranged on terminal simple or compound            racemes; flowers face mostly outwardly; freely flowering            habit with about 14 flowers per simple raceme and about 40            flowers per compound raceme.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous from            mid-summer to mid-autumn in The Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Narrowly oblong. Color: Close to NN155B; stripes,            close to 147C; towards the base, close to 145C; towards the            apex, tinged with close to 179C to 179D.        -   Inflorescence height, simple racemes.—About 10.8 cm.        -   Inflorescence height, compound racemes.—About 20.4 cm.        -   Inflorescence width, simple racemes.—About 3 cm.        -   Inflorescence width, compound racemes.—About 15.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 10 mm by 7 mm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Three tepals pointed upright and            three tepals pointed downward fused in a tube. Tepal length:            About 1.5 cm. Tepal width: About 2 mm. Tepal shape: Narrowly            oblong. Tepal apex: Obtuse. Tepal margin: Entire. Tepal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Tepal color: Developing and fully expanded petals,            upper surface: Lobe, close to NN155B with stripes, close to            146B; towards the apex, tinged with close to 179D; throat,            close to 146B to 146C. Developing and fully expanded petals,            lower surface: Close to NN155B with stripes, close to 147C;            towards the apex, tinged with close to 179D.        -   Peduncles (scapes).—Length: About 16.7 cm. Diameter: About            1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 0.75 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 152A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            six. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to            145C. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 0.5 mm.            Anther color: Close to 24A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 11D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Style length: About 1.75 mm. Style color: Close to 150B to            150C. Stigma shape: Flattened. Stigma color: Close to 150B.            Ovary color: Close to 144A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Haworthia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Haworthia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Haworthia    plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Haworthia have been    observed to tolerate high temperatures of about 45° C. and to be    hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 10.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Haworthia plant named ‘African Albino’ as illustrated and described. 